Weaving with variable transverse wire



Jan. 15, 1963 E. M. HOFFMAN ETAI. 3,073,354

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WEAVING WITH ,VARIABLE TRANSVERSE WIRE 14 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed July 13, 1959 emf 6' 6/26 5% States atent 3,073,354 Patented Jan. 15, 1953 The present invention relatesto weaving on transverse pile wire looms, to loom and wire constructions, and to methods of weaving.

A purpose of the invention is to increase the production of pile fabrics having cut and loop pile in the same transverse row.

A further purpose is to simplify the weaving technique and reduce the production and maintenance difficulties when weaving pile fabrics having cut and loop pile in the same transverse row.

A further purpose is to permit the Weaving of pile fabrics having cut and loop pile in the same transverse row by velvet techniques, and avoid the necessity of wilton jacquard Weaving.

A further purpose is to combine the formation of high and low pile loops and cut and uncut pile loops in the same transverse row, while greatly simplifying the weaving technique. I

A further purpose is to facilitate the control of texturing in pile fabrics, and to permit the formation of texturing without the necessity of loop robbing in some rows, and with loop robbing in other rows of pile. V

A further purpose is to permit selective raising or lowering of the upper surface of a pile wire, permissibly including on the upper surface projections which can be wavy or rectangular, of one or a multiplicity of heights, cutting or non-cutting, or a combinaion of cutting and non-cutting, and which can be selectively raised to become effective or suppressed to become ineffective so that the same wire on different cycles can operate in one manner or in another manner alternatively.

A further purpose is to assist in formation of low cut tufts and high uncut pile loops in the same transverse row of a warp pile fabric.

A further purpose is to permit selective formation of cut pile, uncut pile, or cut and uncut pile, by the same wire and in the same transverse row.

A further purpose is to form selectively pile loops all of which are high in a particular transverse row by a wire having a wavy top surface.

A further purpose is to utilize wire combinations including wires which have selectively raisable wavy portions, which are raised in some rows and not in other rows, or are raised after the Wire is woven in, along with other wires which as desired will be a similar formation but with the wavy portions differently distributed laterally, or with wires which are straight, high, low, cutting, non-cutting and flag or spoon.

A further purpose is to produce a pile fabric having high and low loops with unequal yarn take-up on certain of the pile warp ends, and still to permit taking the pile yarn from a beam or other continuous uniform supply.

A further purpose is to employ in the shed a wire which includes a slotted case and an insert which may be raised or lowered and which selectively may have several different heights, in one of Which the insert is completely beneath the top of the case, and in others of which the insert rises above the case to various different heights, also to selectively provide as desired wavy or rectangular surfaces on the upper surface of the wire and to manipulate the wire height externally of the wire by an abutment which moves relatively to the wire head.

A further purpose is to trigger or otherwise suitably control the raising or lowering of the pile wire insert in one or both directions by interrelating the insert and the case by longitudinally operative cam means and manipulating the insert or the case by mechanism on the loom which moves an abutment relative to the wire head.

A further purpose is to interrelate a cutter on the end.

of the case with the desired height of the insert in raised position, making the. cutter lower than the maximum height of the insert. I

A further purpose is to produce cut pile by selectively raising cutters which are on projections on the insert, said cutters being'disposed. in some cases on the leadingedge, that is toward thewire'head, and in some cases on the upper portion of the projection, or on some parts thereof, oron certain of the projections but not all.

A further purpose is to produce pileof variable height,

by raising an insert in a wire case after the fabric is formed but while the wire is still in the pile of the woven fabric, the insert being raised suitably at a time when the predecessor wires have been withdrawn.

A further purpose is to produce pile of variable height by raising an insert having projections whichform high loops in one transverse row by robbing from loops in the, preceding transverse row.

A further purpose is to extract the wire transversely with the insert selectivelyraised or lowered at the time of extraction to create. variations in the fabric.

A further purpose is to selectively insert the wire and form the loops While the insert is raised or while the insert is lowered, and then to extract the wire selectively while the insert is lowered or while the insert is raised.

A further purpose is to permit the lowering of the straight top of a wire to withdraw the wire from the pile more readily and at higher speed.

A further purpose is to interconnect either the case or the insert of a transverse pile wire with the head and place the operating abutment on the other of the two elements.

A further purpose is to invert the case of a wire so that the open edge of the slot is at the bottom and so that the insert rests on the bottom of the top shed, desirably providing wavy projections on the top of the case.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings we have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerous embodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an insert wire which may be used in accordance with the invention, having no cutter, and having the insert raised.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a detail fragmentary side elevation of the wire case broken away to show one of the cams in the slot.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the wire case of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wire insert according to the invention.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the end remote from the head of a variant wire according to FIG- URE 1, equipped with a spoon and a cutter.

FIGURE 8 is a conventional warpwise weave diagram showing the Weaving of an uncut pile fabric according to the present invention.

FIGURE 9 is a fragment of FIGURE 8 showing a completed pile fabric according to the invention in which the pile projections are partially cut and partially uncut.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective of a loom utilized in weaving the fabric of the invention showing the wire set and the mechanism for triggering the insert.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary side elevation of a variant'wire according to the invention, provided with triggering of the insert by relative motion in both directions, and also having cutters on the leading edges of. the insert projections, that is, toward the wire head.

FIGURE 11a is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing cutters extending only part of the height of the leading edges of the projections.

FIGURE '12 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wire according to the invention, having cutters on certain portions of the upper edge as well as the leading edge of the projections and the trailing edge in some cases.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wire according to the invention, having two different heights of insert elevation above the case.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away showing three different heights of insert elevation above the case.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away of the wire according to the invention, showing triggering to relatively low positions on opposite sides of the high position.

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary side elevation partly broken away of a wire of the invention, showing four different heights of insert elevation above the case.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary side elevation of a wire according to the invention, showing two different heights of raised loop areas on the insert projections. H

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of wire according to the invention, having rectangular leading and trailing edges on the insert projections.

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified form of wire according to the invention which is provided with a straight top surface.

FIGURE 20 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a modified wire according to the invention in which the head is connected to the insert and the operating abutment is connected to the case.

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a wire of the invention in which the case is above the insert 21nd is provided with wavy projections on its upper surace.

FIGURE 21a is a section on the line 21a21a of FIGURE 21.

FIGURE 22 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a modified wire of the invention which operates by lever action.

FIGURES 23 to 40 are diagrams useful in explaining the operation of the Wires in weaving according to the procedure of FIGURES 8 or 9.

FIGURE 41 is a photographic view of the face of a fabric woven according to the invention.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation, and referring to the drawings:

The technique possible in the prior art for producing cut and uncut pile in the same transverse row, with or without variations in height, has been relatively tedious and time consuming, requiring the insertion of two transverse pile wires in a particular pile forming shed, and weaving with a jacquard which can selectively raise the pile over either pile wire or permissibly over both wires. This technique, however, normally involves mispicking, prolonging the cycle, and greatly slowing down the operation because both of the extra wire insertion and the use of the jacquard.

It has also been possible to obtain cut low pile along with uncut high pile with a limited amount of selectivity by placing cutters on forward portions of Wavy pile wires.

In Schmitz US. Patent No. 2,758,613, granted August 14, 1956, for Wire Loom Manufacture of Pattern Pile Fabrics, FIGURE 10 shows a pile wire having a wavy portion on its upper surface which is spring biased toward the raised position but can pull down under the drag of the loops when the wire is withdrawn, and which has a cutter higher than the wavy portion located at the end of the wire remote from the head.

Rice US. Patent 2,647,271, granted April 6, 1954, for Pile Wire, provides wavy portions of spring construction at the top of a transverse pile wire.

Ballard US. Patent 2,874,725, granted February 24, 1959, for Pile Wire For Looms, shows an insert in a pile wire which responds to the motion of the wire head and V utilizes a special Wire motion.

The present invention increases the variety and range of fabrics which can be made producing cut and uncut pile in the same transverse row, while at the same time simplifying and expediting the method of weaving and the loom operation.

It is further possible in accordance with the present invention to produce high and low loops in the same transverse row without the technique of robbing from previous loops, and to vary this with loop robbing at other rows.

In accordance with the invention a selectively operable wire is employed which has in it an insert which can be raise or lowered, and depending on whether it is raised or lowered, will permit the pile wire to operate as a straight cutting or noncutting wire, or permit the pile wire to operate as a wire provided with wavy or serrated projections, and in some cases also performing cutting functions as later described. The invention lends itself also to permitting the use of the fairly rapid and inexpensive velvet carpet weaving technique, and where desired employing patterns of high and low loops having nonuniform take-up, but still supplying the pile yarn from a uniform source such as a beam, rather than requiring a creel. The procedure according to the present invention is unique in the following respects:

Where a wavy wire having loops over the high and low portions is pulled, the effect is to raise all of the loops to maximum height and in the previous row to form low loops opposite the place where high loops are formed by the wire. Unless high loops of uniform height are desired in the row where the wire is pulled, something must be done in the next row to cause robbing.

In accordance with the present invention on the other hand when the previous wire is pulled out and then the insert is raised above the straight top of the wire case, both high loops and low loops are formed in the row having the wire, forming low loops in the previous row by robbing opposite said high loops, but leaving the row having said wire in final form.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the wire to raise or lower its height is accomplished by an abutment which is independent of the wire head, and the wire can be manipulated to insert it and withdraw it by standard wire motions.

Considering now the structure of FIGURES 1 to 7 inclusive, we there illustrate a wire 20 which is provided with a longitudinally extending case 21, suitably of rectangular cross section, having a longitudinally extending and top open slot 22 which receives and laterally guides an insert 23. The case is long enough to extend from one side to the other of the shed with suitable extension beyond the selvage at each side. The wire is provided with a head 24 which is equipped with the usual hook recess 25 and the usual slot 26 for the wire carrier as well known, and in FIGURES 1 to 19 and 21 to 22 is joined to the case. The head will of course take the desirable form for the particular wilton, velvet, tapestry or other suitable carpet or other transverse wire loom. The cross section of the outside of the case is suitably rectangular as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, and will in particular weaves, being, Where desired, a non-cutting.

flag or non-cutting spoon type. The case has at intervals along its length at the bottom of the slot 22 cams 31 having cam or wedge faces 32 extending in one transverse direction, and suitably secured as by rivets 33 through the case. The slope and form of the cams 31 will vary aslater described.

The insert 23 is desirably of generally rectangular cross section, and is provided at its lower surface with recesses 34 distributed along its length at spacing corresponding to the spacings of the cams 31, which recesses have cooperating wedge or cam surfaces 35 which are adapted in one position to engage the wedge surfaces 32 on the cams 3'1.

The cams 31 at the top suitably have flats or dwells 36 which in one position are adapted to receive horizontal bottom surfaces 37 on the inserts. Thus when the insert is shifted longitudinally so that notches 34 lie over the earns, the insert is down and the top surface of the insert is desirably entirely beneath the straight horizontal upper surface 38 of the case. When, however, the insert is shifted along the case until bottom surface 37 of the insert rides on the cam dwell 36, the insert is raised until top surfaces 40 of the insert are positioned above the top surface 38 of the case.

While it will be evident that the question of whether the top surface 40' is uniform and straight or interrupted and wavy or rectangular is not critical in the broadest aspects of the invention, it will be preferable to dispose a series of non-cutting projections 41 along the insert having suitably inclined non-cutting leading surfaces 42 (toward the head) and suitably inclined non-cutting trailing surfaces 43 in-the form of FIGURES 1 to 6, the low portions of the effective wavy top surface of the wire being produced by intervening portions 38 which are portions of the normal straight top of the case.

It will of course be understood, however, that in this aspect of the invention it is not critical whether the low portions are formed by the portions 38 at the top of the case or by low portions 34 of the insert, which where desired can extend above the case in raised position.

It will be evident that while the form of FIGURES 1 to 6 shows all the high portions 42) at the same height, the question of whether the high portions are at the same or different heights will be .a matter of selection in a particular Wire set.

It will be evident that the particular location and individual length of the projections will suitably vary on different wires according to the design of the texturing in the fabric, so that projections 41 on one wire may be laterally opposite low portions on another wire and vice versa.

The insert at the end which is preferably located adjoining the head is provided with an abutment 45 which in FIGURE 1 is shown above the case and will be used in manipulating the insert on the loom as later described.

In the form of FIGURE 7 the maximum height 46 of the cutter 30 at the end of the Wireremote from the head will bear a predetermined relation to the maximum height 40 of the insert 23, which in the preferred embodiment will be between the height of the top 38 of the case and the maximum height 40', but in some cases the maximum height of the cutter 46 will be higher than the maximum height of the insert within the shed at 4% as later explained.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a loom which may be a Wilton, velvet or tapestry carpet loom or other suitable transverse wire loom which is provided with the usual let-off mech-- anism, take-up mechanism, heddles, heddle frames, and,

transverse wire, motionexcept as modified herein, with a suitable, and desirably standard crank shaft and lay mo-. tion not shown.

As illustrated, pile warp endsv 47 in a suitable set, and controlled as, to shedding if desired by .a jacquardmecha nismin awilton loom, or by heddles. without a, jacquard mechanism in a velvet loom, are withdrawnthrough ten sioning devices-from asuitable source, which in thecase of avelvet loom will be. a, beam or creel, and in thecase.

of a Wilton loom will usually be. a creel, although in certain cases abeamcan be employed withthe weave of the.

present invention. The loomis also provided with. a first set of binder warp ends 48 anda second set ofbinder warp. ends 50 which are withdrawn through suitable tension devices, suitably from abeam. We. also illustrate stufler. warp ends 51 withdrawn from a. suitable sourcethrough a suitabletensioning device.

It will be evident of course thatthe question of whether two binder warps are woven in opposition orone binder. Warp. is. woven in opposition to the stutter warp, to form the backing is unimportant from the standpointof the. present invention.

The weave of FIGURE 8 is produced on a two-shot basis, the. two-shot weave being merely by way of example. In. the weave according to the invention, the binding weft 52 is inserted in a suitableshed (notshown) by raising binding warp ends 50halfway and lowering all other warp ends as well known in the art.

On the next halfcycle, pile warp ends 47 areraised-to.

the high position as shown at the right in FIGURE 8 and binder warp ends 48 and stuffer warp ends 51 are raised half-way, thus forming upper shed 53, and binder warp ends 50 are lowered forming lower shed 54, and a; wire 20isinserted in the upper shed and shuttle 55 is thrown to insert lower weft 56 in the lower shed.

The reed 57 then beats up the weft and wire as the shed is shifting at the fell as well known in the art, forming pile loops 58 which are raised over the wire and will be bound in by the next binding weft 52.

It will be understood that in some instances wire 20 according to the invention will be inserted in each one of the upper sheds, while in other cases a wire combination will be used in which successive wires are of different characters, some for example being prior art wires of high, low, cutting, noncutting or straight character, interspersed in any suitable wire repeat with wires having cases and inserts as here shown. At points at which wires of the present invention are inserted, and when weaving with the insert raised at the time the pile loops are formed, there will be high pile loops 60 formed over the high portions 40 on the insert and low pile loops 61 formed over the low portions 38' or 44, the high and low portions desirably being differently distributed on different wires.

FIGURE 8 illustrates weaving using wires which are not provided with cutters and which form uncut loops, while FIGURE 9 illustrates weaving with wires which have cutters at the far end which are not as high as the high portions 40, and forming the pile loops with the insert raised. This results in cut tufts 62 formed from the low loops while the high loops 60 suitably remain uncut. Cut and uncut pile selectively appear on the same pile warp end as illustrated.

The manipulation of the inserts from the loom can be accomplished by a wide variety of mechanism, and we illustrate one such mechanism by way of example in FIGURE 10. In this case at a suitable point along the wire bank the insert moving abutment 45 is spanned by a slotted operating member 63 which is mounted on a piston and piston rod combination 64 in a fluid operated cylinder 65 supported on the loom frame. The piston has moved or will move in either direction of the arrow 66 to shift the horizontal position of the insert longitudinally relative to the case on a particular wire, and .thus

7 moving the insert vertically up or down as desired. It will be evident that any desired number of cylinders will be located along the wire bank to move the insert back and forth.

In some cases it will be desirable to vary the construction of the wire case and insert, and we illustrate in FIG- URE 11 a wire insert 67 having at the bottom of its slot 22 a series of oppositely acting earns 68 having opposed cam faces 70 and 71 with an intermediate dwell 72. The insert 67 in this instance is provided with double acting cam portions 73 which are capable of moving up on the earns 68 by motion in either direction so as to raise the projections 41 above the case or lower them below the straight top of the case as desired In some cases it is desirable to provide cutting edges on the forward edges of the projections (toward the head) and such cutting edges are shown at 74 in FIGURE 11 extending the full height of the projections, while at 74' in FIGURE 11a the cutting edges extend only a portion up the height of the projections, the portions 74 above the cutting edges being noncutting. The cams in FIGURE 11a are like those in FIGURES l to 6. The cutters in FIGURES 11 and 11a are within the case when the insert is down.

While in some instances projections on the forward edges only are provided with cutters, in some wires it is desirable to provide cutters at 75 on all or a portion of the tops of the projections 41 as shown in FIGURE 12, and this may be used with cutters 74 on the forward edges if desired. The trailing edge 74 may also have cutters where desired.

This thus assures that the cutters can be moved below the straight top of the case and be ineffective or can be raised where they will be effective when desired.

In some instances it is desirable to have more than one height of the high portions 40 above the case, and in FIGURE 13 we illustrate on the insert 23 double cams 76 having cam wedge surfaces 77, dwells 78, second cam wedge surfaces 80 and dwells 81 so that by moving the insert different horizontal distances the insert will raise the projections 41 to different heights.

In some instances it is desirable to provide three different projection heights above the top of the case 21, and in FIGURE 14 we illustrate on the insert 23: a cam 82, which has a dwell surface 83, a cam surface 84, a second dwell surface 85, a cam surface 86, a third dwell surface 87, an opposite cam surface 88, a fourth dwell surface and then on opposite cam surface 91, for selective motion to produce different heights of the projection 41. These cams work against double bottom cams 68.

It is in some instances desirable to have relative motion in one direction produce first a raising and then a lowering of the insert, and this is shown in FIGURE 15 where the cam on the insert has first a cam surface 92, then a dwell surface 93, then a reverse cam surface 94, then a dwell surface 95, then a cam surface 96, a dwell surface 97, and a cam surface 98. The dwells 93, and 97 are at different heights, dwell 93 lowering the insert below the case, dwell 95 raising the projections 41 to full height and dwell 97 placing the projections at an intermediate height 100.

Even more frequent gradients may be desired, and in FIGURE 16 we show a form in which the cams 101 with various gradations are mounted in the bottom of the case and each cam has a dwell surface 102, a cam surface 103, a dwell surface 104, a cam surface 105, a dwell surface 106, an opposite cam surface 107, a dwell surface 108, a cam surface 110, a dwell surface 111 and a cam surface 112, cooperating with suitable double faced cam projections 113 on the bottom of the insert 23.

The construction of the projections on the insert may take various forms, and in FIGURE 17 we illustrate projections 41 which have two levels of relatively flat portions 114 and 115, both of which can be raised above the level of the top of the case, or both placed below the top of the case.

The invention also permits utilizing projections 41 which have rectangular leading edges 116 and trailing edges 117 as shown in FIGURE 18, rather than sloping edges as in other figures. This has never been possible in a wire which requires pulling with these projections remaining raised.

In some cases it is desirable to increase the speed and the velocity of withdrawing a straight pile wire by lowering the pile wire before withdrawal. This is particularly desirable in weaving high pile. In FIGURE 19 the wire, here shown as a non-cutting wire but permissibly being a cutting wire, has an insert 23 which has a straight upper surface within the shed. To facilitate insertion while the wire is raised, the portion of the insert at 43' which will be forwardly directed when the wire is inserted is curved gradually. The construction of the cam mechanism can be that of FIGURES l to 6 inclusive.

While in the other forms of the wires of the invention the head is shown attached to the case, the head may if desired be attached to the insert. In FIGURE 20 we show a wire case 21 which is free from the head, and carries an abutment 45 which is similar to the abutment 45 already described. The wire insert 23) is in this instance connected to the head 24. The cam construction will conveniently be similar to that of FIGURES 1 to 6 but oppositely disposed. The case conveniently has pins 21 which connect through guiding slots 21 on the insert, so that the case can under the action of the abutment 45 move so as to uncover the projections 41 at the top of the insert or cover the projections as desired.

In some instances it will be preferable to invert the structure as shown in FIGURES 21 and 21a. Here the case 21 is inverted with the open edge of the slot 22' at the bottom and the insert 28 is inverted having a fiat bottom surface for resting on the bottom of the shed while the earns 31 in the case are at the top and the cam surfaces 35 on the insert are at the top. A combination of a pin 21 on the case and a slot 21 on the insert is here employed for guiding purposes.

The structure of FIGURES 21 and 21a permits raising or lowering of the wire projections 41' by causing the insert to extend out at the bottom of the case or to move up completely in the case as desired. While the wire of FIGURES 21 and 21a is shown as a non-cutting wire, it may be a cutting wire if desired.

The abutment 45 on the insert extends through a slot 45- in the top of the case near the point at which the case is connected to the head of the wire.

FIGURE 22 shows a wire in which the insert is raised by longitudinal motion under the action of levers 31' engaging in notches 34' in the bottom of the insert and pivoted on pivot pins 31 near the bottom of the case.

The sequence and technique of manipulating the wires in various embodiments of the invention will best be shown in FIGURES 23 to 40, which show conditions which can be used in combinations so that in one embodiment at one portion of the weave the procedure will follow one of these figures and at another portion of the weave the procedure will follow another one of these figures, with variations in between due to the presence of wires of different character where desired as already explained.

FIGURE 23 shows at 118 the wire of FIGURES 1 to 7 in the condition in which it is either inserted or erected after insertion and before closing the upper shed, with the insert projections 41 raised and the cutter 30 at the end of the wire having a height above the top of the case but below the top 40 of the insert projection (as shown by projecting the height 40).

After completion of the weaving-in of the loops and wire as shown in FIGURE 8, but before the wire is withdrawn, the abutment- 45 on the insert is shifted until the wire achieves the form 120 with a straight upper surface and no insert projections 41 above the top of the case.

When this wire is pulled, the efiect is -to produce the fabric of'FIGURE 9, with low cut tufts and high uncut loops-- FIGURE 24 illustratesa variation of the weaving technique of FIGURE 23, in which the wire 118 is inserted in the manner described in FIGURE 23, but the insert projections 41 are raised as shown. at 121 at the time the wire is pulled. The insert projections therefore dominate and mask the effect of the cutter 30 so that the pile is-not cut but is raised to the full height by withdrawal of the wire, and if the next wire is similar, the pile loops will be lowered to form uncut .wavy loops by loop robbing.

In some instances it is desirable to depart entirely from the techniques as shown in FIGURES. 23 and 24. In FIGURE 25 weillustrate a wire as shown at 122 inserted in the uppershed having a cutter of the same construction and relationship to the insert projections already described in respect to FIGURE 23 at at the end remote from the head. The loops as formed over this wire are then of uniform height when woven.

After weaving and after withdrawing of predecessor wires until the wire in question is desirably the last wire in the sequence, the abutment 45 is shifted to raise projections 41 as shown on Wire-123. This causes loop robbing of the previous row and forms wavy pile over'the insert projections. Then in accordance with the technique of FIGURE 25 the insert is shifted longitudinally again until the insert projections are lowered and the wire as shown at 124 has a straight upper surface provided by the case. The wire 124 is then removed by pulling out'laterally and the cutter 30 cuts lower pile which has been formed so that it is of low and of wavy height and leaves high wavy uncut pile. This results, therefore, in securing cut lower pile which is of uniform height on both sides of the tufts, with high uncut pile.

The technique of FIGURE 25 in many cases will be used where the predecessor wire is a straight non-cutting wire and thus a wavy uncut row will alternate with a wavy cut and uncut row.

The procedure of FIGURE 25 will in many cases be alternated with the procedure of FIGURE 26 so that the same wire on one appearance in weaving may perform according to FIGURE 25 and on another appearance perform according to FIGURE 26. Thus in FIGURE 26 the wire as inserted in the shed has the insert projections lowered at 125. After weaving is complete and the predecessor wires have been pulled, projections are raised on this wire as shown at 126 but unlike FIGURE 25 the Wire 2126 is pulled with the projections 41 raised. This causes the production of a series of straight uncut loops since the cutter 30 is ineffective as it is lower than the upper surface 40 of the projections. Wavy uncut pile in this row can then be formed on the next row if desired by loop robbing, using for example the technique of FIG- URE 25.

In some instances as shown in FIGURES 27 to 30, the cutter 30' has a height greater than the height of the insert projections 41 as shown at 40. FIGURE 27 shows the wevaing otherwise according-to the technique of FIG- URE 23, but with thehigher cutter 30. This results in producing high and low cut fabric without loop robbing, similar to a carved carpet.

Using the higher cutter 30' in FIGURE 28 but with the technique otherwise of FIGURE 24, the result is that all of the pile in the row is finally formed as high straight out pile, and if desired it can be pulled down to form I pile as a wavy wire causing loop robbing in the next row.

In the technique of FIGURE 29, using the higher cutter 30' with the technique otherwise of FIGURE 25, the result is to produce high and low cut pile in the-same row without loop robbing.

When weaving according to FIGURE 30, with a higher cutter and using the technique otherwise of FIGURE 26,

10 the result is to produce a row-consisting of high cut pile which canbe changed to J pile if desired by loop robbing in the next row.

In someinstances it is preferred to employ a round or non-cuttingwire rather than'the cutting Wire, as shown-in FIGURES 31 to 34.

FIGURE 31 operates accordingto the technique'of FIGURE 23 but with a round non-cutting wire and results in-wavyuncut loops-in accordance with FIGURE 8.

If all wires operate according to this technique, there will be no loop robbing and no disturbance of the pile yarn, and therefore superior orientation of pilecan be obtained.

FIGURE 32 using a noncutting or round wire operates otherwise accordingto the technique of FIGURE 24, and the resnltis to raise the loops to the maximum height when the wire is withdrawn, and then if desired onecan pull them downto form, wavy loops on thenext row by loop robbing.

In FIGURE 33 we use a noncutting wire according to the invention,v otherwise with the technique of FIGURE 25 There is here loop robbing only to produce the raised areas, and thefabric conforms to FIGURE 8. This technique: has the advantage that with a nonuniform take-up pattern, it is still possible to draw the pile yarn supply from a beam rather than a creel, since the loops as first formed are straight, with the result that a very economical means of handling the pile yarn is provided. With the proper choice of height of projections a preceding loop can be pulled'down-to the back to produce an effect similar to Wilton.

Itwillbe evident that in the form of the invention under discussion, when the wire insert is raised, the high loops are formed by loop robbing from the previone row, and also intermediate loops are suitably formed by lesser loop robbing. This will suitably leave the row in which the wire insert is raised in its final form, and convert the previous row inwhich loop robbing takes place to its final form. In order that the row in which the insert is raised may be placed in final form, the next succeeding wire will suitably not be of the insert type, but may be a straight cutting or noncutting wire.

If, however, the next succeeding wire is of the wavy insert type, the loop robbing which takes place on the next succeeding wire will alter the arrangement of loops in the row of pile previous to it.

FIGURE 34 illustrates noncutting pile wires otherwise accordingto the technique of FIGURE 26, and the result is loop robbing when the insert raises, then raising of the pile to a selected height when the Wire is withdrawn, with formation of wavy pile by loop robbing in the subsequent row if desired.

In some cases it is preferable to employ cutters on some or all of the leading edges as shown at 74 in FIGURE 11, and'the procedure using a wire of this character is indicated in FIGURES 35 to 38 inclusive.

In FIGURE 35 the weaving follows the technique of FIGURE 23, but with the wire having cutters 74 on the leading edges of the insert projections but no cutter at theend remote from the head and beyond the shed. The resultis an uncut high and loW loop fabric according to FIGURE 8, with a few low cut tufts formed over the cutters.

FIGURE 36 illustrates weaving using a similar wire, but according to the technique of FIGURE 24. In this case the result is toproduce high uncut loops and low cut tufts according to FIGURE 9.

In- FIGURE 37. the wire sequence is shown usingthe character of the Wire just described, but the weaving technique of FIGURE 25. The resultv is to cut pile adjacent to the cutter in localized zones across the Width of the transverse pile row but otherwise to have uncut wavy pile loops, so that thefabric isthat of FIGURE 9 at the 11 zones where cutting occurs and otherwise is that of FIG- URE 8.

FIGURE 38 illustrates weaving with the wire just described using the technique of FIGURE 26. In this case loop robbing or J tufting in the previous row will occur except where the cutters are located and there the pile will be cut when the insert projections are raised, and when the wire is withdrawn other low loops will be cut, so that the fabric will be a combination of high loops and low tufts as in FIGURE 9.

In some instances it is desirable to provide a cutter extending along part or all of the top of the insert projection as shown at 75 in FIGURE 12. The wire arrangement in this case is illustrated in FIGURES 39 and 40.

In FIGURE 39, weaving with the technique of FIG- URE 25 is used with the wire of FIGURE 12. The raising of the insert causes minor loop robbing combined with cutting, at the points where the cutters are located, and elsewhere the loops are uncut, and if the cutters are only partially across the top where the loops are raised by robbing, the efiect then is a combined cut and uncut fabric after the manner of FIGURE 9, but with low uncut areas and in the preferred embodiment some high uncut areas.

FIGURE 40 shows the use of a cutter wire as just described according to FIGURE 12, with the weaving technique of FIGURE 26. The net result is to produce a fabric which is slightly wavy by loop robbing, and entirely cut.

FIGURE 41 is a photographic view similar to FIG- URE 9, showing an actual fabric according to the invention having cut and uncut areas woven according to the technique of FIGURE 23.

It will be evident that the invention, while finding application particularly in the weaving of carpets and other floor coverings, is applicable to any other transverse wire pile weaving, and that it can be combined with other features imparted by other wires in combination with wires of the type under discussion.

In view of our invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of our invention without copying the structure and process shown, and we, therefore, claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of our claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The process of weaving a pile fabric, using a series of transverse pile wires at least some of which have controllable height within the shed, which comprises interweaving together pile warp ends, binder warp ends and welts, forming a shed with at least some of the pile warp ends in the upper position to form loops over the transverse pile wires and other warp ends lowered, inserting a pile wire transversely in the shed, lowering the pile warp ends to complete loops over the transverse pile wire and inserting a binding weft subsequently withdrawing the wire and repeating the process, variably controlling the wire maximum height at insertion and just before the beat-up so that the wire has a different maximum height when the pile warp ends are formed over the wire in different sheds, selectively varying the Wire height while the wire is woven in the shed and selectively varying each wire height just before withdrawal.

2. The method of weaving a pile fabric, using a pile wire having a controllable height, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts to form a fabric, raising at least some of the pile warp ends into the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting the wire transversely in the shed, lowering the pile warp ends and inserting a binding weft, subsequently withdrawing the wire from the shed, repeating the process, and controllably varying the height of the wire at three locations: (1) just after insertion in 12 the shed and before it is woven into the carpet, (2) while is is Woven into the carpet, and (3) just prior to withdrawal.

3. The process of weaving a pile fabric, using a transverse pile wire having controllable wavy portions within the shed, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, raising at least some of the pile warp ends to the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting into the shed a transverse pile wire having wavy portions on its upper surface, and having a cutter at the end remote from the head, said cutter having a height between the height of the high portions and the low portions on the top of the wire, lowering the pile warp ends and inserting a shot of binding weft, withdrawing the pile wire transversely while the high portions remain raised, and repeating the process subsequently with the wavy portions lowered at the time the wire is withdrawn.

4. The process of weaving a pile fabric, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, raising at least some of the pile warp ends into the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting a transverse pile wire into the shed, said wire having projections on its upper surface and having at the end remote from the head a cutter whose height is greater than the maximum height of the projections, lowering the pile warp ends to form pile loops over the wire, inserting a binding weft, subsequently withdrawing the wire transversely while the pile projections are raised at the top of the wire, continuing the process and at a later stage of carrying out the process and in at least one of the steps lowering the projections at the top of the wire within the warp before withdrawing the wire.

5. The process of weaving a pile fabric, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, raising at least some of the pile warp ends into the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting in the shed a transverse pile wire, said wire having projections on its upper surface and being free from any cutter at the end remote from the head, lowering the pile warp ends and thus forming loops around the wire, inserting a shot of binding weft, withdrawing the pile wire transversely while the pile projections are raised, continuing the process and in one of the subsequent operations lowering the projections on the pile wire during one of the steps of the process prior to withdrawal of the wire.

6. The process of weaving a pile fabric, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, raising at least some of the pile warp ends in the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting in the shed a transverse pile wire having projections on its upper surface having cutters on the leading edges, lowering the pile warp ends and thus forming'loops around the wire, inserting a shot of binding weft, lowering the projections and the cutters within the wire, withdrawing the wire, and repeating the process and in so doing withdrawing the wire while the projections and cutters are raised.

7. The process of weaving a pile fabric, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, raising at least some of the pile warp ends into the high position and lowering other warp ends to form a shed, inserting into the shed a transverse pile wire having a straight upper surface, lowering the pile warp ends and forming loops around the pile wire, inserting a shot of binding weft, subsequently after weaving and while the wire is in the fabric raising projections on the pile wire having cutters on their upper surfaces and thus cutting the fabric, lowering the projections and the cutters and then withdrawing the pile wire transversely.

8. The process of weaving a pile fabric, using a set of transverse pile wires having heads and which are interwoven into the fabric during weaving, which comprises interweaving pile warp ends, binder warp ends and wefts, 

1. THE PROCESS OF WEAVING A PILE FABRIC, USING A SERIES OF TRANSVERSE PILE WIRES AT LEAST SOME OF WHICH HAVE CONTROLLABLE HEIGHT WITHIN THE SHED, WHICH COMPRISES INTERWEAVING TOGETHER PILE WARP ENDS, BINDER WARP ENDS AND WELTS, FORMING A SHED WITH AT LEAST SOME OF THE PILE WARP ENDS IN THE UPPER POSITION TO FORM LOOPS OVER THE TRANSVERSE PILE WIRES AND OTHER WARP ENDS LOWERED, INSERTING A PILE WIRE TRANSVERSELY IN THE SHED, LOWERING THE PILE WARP ENDS TO COMPLETE LOOPS OVER THE TRANSVERSE PILE WIRE AND INSERTING A BINDING WEFT SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWING THE WIRE AND REPEATING THE PROCESS, VARIABLY CONTROLLING THE WIRE MAXIMUM HEIGHT AT INSERTION AND JUST BEFORE THE BEAT-UP SO THAT THE WIRE HAS A DIFFERENT MAXIMUM HEIGHT WHEN THE PILE WARP ENDS ARE FORMED OVER THE WIRE IN DIFFERENT SHEDS, SELECTIVELY VARYING THE WIRE HEIGHT WHILE THE WIRE IS WOVEN IN THE SHED AND SELECTIVELY VARYING EACH WIRE HEIGHT JUST BEFORE WITHDRAWAL. 